EFFECT OF GROWING MEDIA ON GLASSHOUSE TOMATO YIELD AND QUALITY

This study aiming to investigate the possibilities of using different materials available in Turkey as soilless media in glasshouse tomato growing was carried out in autumn 1989. Heating was used only to protect the plants from frost. Tomato cultivar "Dario F1" was used in investigation. Sowing, transplanting and planting were made on 20, 31 July and 29 August 1989, respectively. In the trial (1) perlite, (2) 1:1 perlite-sand, (3) 1:1 peat-sand, (4) sand, (5) lava rock, (6) 3:1 sawdust-perlite, (7) 3:1 wood shavings-perlite, (8) decomposed pine (Pinus brutia) bark, (9) 1:1 ground pine (Pinus brutia) bark-perlite and (10) 1:1 ground pine (Pinus nigra) bark-perlite were used. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks design with four replicates. Besides this trial for comparison plants were grown in soil within the same greenhouse.

Crop was harvested from 2 November 1989 to 8 January 1990. It was found that growing media varied significantly in respect to early yield, but there were no significant differences in the total yield. Early and total yields were higher in the plants grown in various growing media than those in soil. Increases in the early yield and harvested fruit number grown in media compared to soil varied from 97.7 to 244.5 % and 76.2 to 197.1%, respectively. Increases in the total yield and harvested fruit number were obtained varying from 25.8 to 45.3 % and from 15.2 to 28.8 %, respectively. Growing media had no effect on fruit quality.

It was concluded that soilless culture would result in marked increases both in early and total yields in an unheated greenhouse.